MotoGP Team Profile

BK8 Gresini Racing.

Three world championships, none of them in the premier class.

Fausto Gresini founded the team at Faenza in 1997 after two 125cc titles of his own as a rider. It has raced Honda, Aprilia and Ducati machinery in MotoGP and is now run by Nadia Padovani.

Base
Faenza, Italy
Founded
1997, by Fausto Gresini
Team principal
Nadia Padovani
Premier-class machinery
Honda 2002—2014, Aprilia 2015—2021, Ducati since 2022
Premier-class titles
None
Read the full history
1997
Team Founded
By Fausto Gresini
2002
Premier-Class Debut
On Honda machinery
0
Premier-Class Titles
None won yet
3
Titles in Smaller Classes
250cc 2001, Moto2 2010, Moto3 2018
Overview

What Is Gresini Racing?

Gresini Racing is an Italian team based at Faenza, founded in 1997 by Fausto Gresini, himself a two-time 125cc world champion as a rider. It races in MotoGP as BK8 Gresini Racing and also runs a Moto2 team.

Its three world titles all came in the smaller classes: Daijiro Kato took the 250cc championship in 2001, Toni Elías the Moto2 title in 2010, and Jorge Martín the Moto3 title in 2018. The team has never won a premier-class riders’ or teams’ championship.

It has run three different manufacturers in the top class — Honda from 2002 to 2014, Aprilia from 2015 to 2021, and Ducati since 2022. Fausto Gresini died in February 2021, and his wife Nadia Padovani took over as team owner and principal. Álex Márquez and Fermín Aldeguer ride for the team.

Era 01 · 1997—2014

The Honda Years

Fausto Gresini founded the team in 1997 and moved it into the premier class in 2002 on Honda machinery, a partnership that lasted thirteen seasons.

Daijiro Kato had won the 250cc championship for the team in 2001 and stepped up with it; he crashed in 2003 and died in hospital two weeks later. Toni Elías gave the team a Moto2 title in 2010.

BK8 Gresini Racing Scott Redding riding the GO&FUN Honda motorcycle during the 2014 MotoGP season. Honda · thirteen seasons in the premier class
Era 02 · 2015—2021

Aprilia

Gresini took Aprilia machinery from 2015, through the years when Aprilia was rebuilding its premier-class programme. Jorge Martín won the Moto3 championship for the team in 2018.

Fausto Gresini died in February 2021. His wife, Nadia Padovani, took over as owner and team principal, and the team kept his name.

BK8 Gresini Racing Álvaro Bautista racing on Aprilia machinery during the team's premier class development years. Aprilia · seven seasons
Era 03 · 2022—

Ducati, and the Márquez Years

The team switched to Ducati machinery in 2022 and became one of the strongest independent entries on the grid. Álex Márquez rides the number 73, alongside Fermín Aldeguer.

Most of this collection is from these seasons, which is where the team's current profile comes from.

BK8 Gresini Racing Álex Márquez riding the Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici during a modern MotoGP grand prix weekend. Ducati · Álex Márquez and Fermín Aldeguer
Team Timeline

Gresini in Grand Prix Racing

1997

Team Founded

Fausto Gresini establishes the team at Faenza.

2001

250cc Champion

Daijiro Kato wins the 250cc World Championship for the team.

2002

Premier-Class Debut

Gresini enters the top class on Honda machinery.

2003

Kato's Death

Daijiro Kato crashes and dies in hospital two weeks later.

2010

Moto2 Champion

Toni Elías wins the Moto2 World Championship for the team.

2015

Aprilia Machinery

The team switches from Honda to Aprilia in the premier class.

2018

Moto3 Champion

Jorge Martín wins the Moto3 World Championship for the team.

2021

Fausto Gresini Dies

The founder dies in February; Nadia Padovani takes over as owner and principal.

2022

Ducati Machinery

Gresini moves to Ducati in the premier class.

Sources

  1. Gresini Racing · Wikipedia — founding, base, principal, machinery periods and championships read from the infobox and article
  2. Photo — GO&FUN Honda Gresini, 2014 French Grand Prix · Matthieu PELLETIER from France via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · cropped and resized
  3. Photo — Álvaro Bautista on the Gresini Aprilia, 2015 · Alberto-g-rovi via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 · cropped and resized
  4. Photo — Gresini Racing, 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix · Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and resized
Riders and Champions
ÁM
Álex Márquez
Current MotoGP rider, number 73
FA
Fermín Aldeguer
Current MotoGP rider, number 54
DK
Daijiro Kato
250cc World Champion, 2001
TE
Toni Elías
Moto2 World Champion, 2010
JM
Jorge Martín
Moto3 World Champion, 2018
ÁB
Álvaro Bautista
Gresini rider on Honda and Aprilia
Frequently Asked

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Gresini won a MotoGP championship?
No. The team has no premier-class title. Its three world championships are from the smaller classes — 250cc in 2001, Moto2 in 2010 and Moto3 in 2018.
Who founded Gresini Racing?
Fausto Gresini, in 1997. He had been a two-time 125cc world champion as a rider.
Who runs the team now?
Nadia Padovani, Fausto Gresini's wife, who took over as owner and team principal after his death in February 2021.
What machinery has Gresini raced in MotoGP?
Honda from 2002 to 2014, Aprilia from 2015 to 2021, and Ducati since 2022.
Who rides for Gresini?
Álex Márquez, number 73, and Fermín Aldeguer, number 54.
Who was Daijiro Kato?
The rider who won the 250cc World Championship for Gresini in 2001. He crashed in 2003 and died in hospital two weeks later.
Is Gresini the Ducati works team?
No. Gresini is an independent team running Ducati machinery; the works entry is Ducati Lenovo Team.
The Collection

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